The presence and actions of these federal troops have not eased the demonstrations at the federal buildings in Portland, they have swelled the ranks of protesters. A situation that was slowly losing steam (I'm referring to the violence) is now gaining. More people are showing up, more gas and ordinances and baton beatings are being used by the feds (and peaceful people are being injured by them), and the situation is verging on being out of control.
In my discussions with family and friends, I seem to have a different point of view than most. I don't see a strategy by protesters or by the Portland government (mayor and city council); I don't see an end point that looks good.
Many people see the action by Trump and his "goons" as the beginning of, or continuation of the march towards fascism in America. From this viewpoint, it seems to make sense for thousands of people to demonstrate at the federal buildings and challenge the federal troops. This is, in this view, the only way to fight fascism.
While I agree that Trump is a wannabe fascist - probably is one if given the chance - I do not see the strategy of challenging the feds every night as a winning strategy. Instead, I think we should call Trump's bluff.
This is an election year. Trump is on the path to a huge loss. He now wants to paint himself as the law and order candidate who is protecting America from the leftist, Democratic, violent, anarchistic people and mayors and governors of America, like those in Portland. And so Trump trumps up the story that he has sent federal officers to Portland to protect federal property from violent anarchists who want to smash things and burn things to the ground. Every night, like clockwork, masses of people demonstrate at these federal buildings, most peacefully, until a few start to throw things at the feds and the buildings, including fireworks, Molotov cocktails, rocks, bottles of frozen water and urine and feces &c. Sometimes folks try to rip the plywood off the building windows, and break down the temporary fencing, and start fires against or in the buildings. And then the feds swarm out of their hive like angry wasps, tossing gas canisters, flash bang ordinances, firing "soft" bullets (that have seriously injured people), chasing people and beating them with batons, &c. "Hey, we are protecting federal property!" they say.
So which is it: protecting federal property or advancing fascism? Why not find out by calling their bluff? What if people peacefully demonstrated in various places around Portland every day, and then all went home every evening? What if everyone left the federal buildings alone? Nothing thrown at them, no more graffiti, no more trying to break in, no more fires; simply leave them alone. If the feds continue to swarm out of their hive and attack people who are not near the federal buildings, then we know they are here to advance fascism. If the feds stay in their hive, then we know they are only interested in their buildings.
As I have stated previously, Trump and his minions want to change the narrative away from Black Lives Matter and the systemic racism of America to a Trump re-election narrative. I am concerned that the nightly confrontations at the Portland federal buildings are following the Trump playbook perfectly.
And where is the leadership of Portland? Well, the mayor and council members all support the anti-racism demonstrations, and also seem to support the challenge-the-feds demonstrations. The mayor, Ted Wheeler, was out there a couple nights ago and was gassed, along with many other peaceful demonstrators But supporting demonstrations is not a strategy, and there is no end game that I can see. The most outspoken member, regarding policing, of our City Council has basically declared war on the Portland police. (The focused ire of demonstrators since the George Floyd murder was on the Portland Police Bureau, who were tasked with crowd, sometimes mob control and used many of the same tactics the feds are now using when things got out of hand. Now the Portland police stay away from the federal buildings, and the focus has shifted to the federal troops.)
I would like to see a unanimous Portland City Council present a strategy for moving forward with supporting the right of people to peacefully demonstrate, cracking down on criminals using the demonstrations as cover, helping to shift the focus away from the federal buildings and directing it in more positive directions, establishing processes for including citizens in initiatives and sharing information to re-imagine policing and the justice system. Lay out a clear strategy and timeline, with goals and objectives, and ask Portlanders to participate. And stop the war between the Council and the Police Bureau by acknowledging the importance of public safety and the men and women who are sworn to serve and protect the people of Portland, while at the same time focus on the broken parts of policing that need to be changed. (And, dear reader, don't get lost in the "good cop, bad cop" argument; focus instead on making positive and needed changes to policing and public safety.)
Don't misunderstand me, as I think some people do; fascism is a real threat to American democracy, especially under Trump and his Congressional Republican accomplices, and we need to guard against it. But let's be smart about it; let's be smarter than they are.
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FYI: Here is a good summary of the situation in Portland, by The Oregonian reporters.
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